


Explaining Homophobia to an Alien

by AlexiHollis



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Comedy, F/F, Fluff, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Myster Girl is named Sheena
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-03-02 00:52:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13306944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexiHollis/pseuds/AlexiHollis
Summary: Sheena tries to explain to her lovely, amazing, perfect alien girlfriend, Pearl, why she can't meet her parents.





	Explaining Homophobia to an Alien

For only being human, Sheena liked to believe that she was handling the whole “my girlfriend is an alien” thing pretty well. She never questioned the adoration of swords and knights in general (though it was absolutely mortifying when Pearl happened to find that _one goddamn_ photo album that had pictures of eight-year-old Sheena, also known as the age where she became obsessed with Camelot). She knew about Rose and understood that even though Pearl still caught herself in moments of grief Pearl loved her. Not eating became a plus because Sheena was still paying off her student loan debt and only having to pay for one meal was a definite plus. The gem war was a story that hurt Pearl more to tell than it did for Sheena to hear, told with a lot of tears and cuddling on the couch. Their relationship progressed smoothly and Sheena fell in love more every day.

There was only one issue: Pearl’s complete and utter lack of understanding of human society. For priding herself on being a well-educated gem, she lacked even the basic knowledge of human history, barring the creation of Beach City, knew next to nothing about any human religion, and what little she did know about human interaction and relationships she learnt from watching Beach City residents (who were, Sheena could easily admit, not the norm) and TV.  Pearl now fully expected for Sheena to introduce her to her parents and leaving Sheena to flounder in her attempts to explain why that wasn’t going to happen, ever.

“No.”

“What do you mean ‘no’?” Pearl’s fingers curled in quotation marks. Sitting on a stool at the counter top, she watched as Sheena started to make herself dinner.

“You are not going to meet my parents.” Sheena shook her head as she stirred the noodles.

“Greg said that it is human tradition.”

Goddamnit Greg. “Did Greg take Rose to meet his parents?”

“Yes, yes, he did, actually,” Pearl sniffed. Sheena could practically feel her glare and she winced before the words fully settled.

Sheena turned around in shock, “He did?! Wasn’t she, like, eight feet tall?”

Pearl stared at her blankly, then turned her gaze to her hands, now folded in her lap.

“Is this not a…serious thing to you?” Pearl asked, voice quiet, stilted in the way that attempted to hold back the emotions Pearl felt. Sheena hated that voice.

“Yes! Yes, it is!” Sheena sighed, walking over and grabbing Pearl’s hand to hold on top of the counter. “Pearl, this has nothing to do with you. _I_ don’t want to talk to them and _they_ don’t want to talk to me.”

Pearl tilted her head, looking back at Sheena. “Really?’

Sheena nodded, letting go of Pearl’s hand before turning back to the noodles. “I haven’t spoken to them in years. Not since I was…a few weeks after I turned seventeen.”

“Why haven’t you spoken to them? I thought humans valued familial relations over almost anything!” Pearl almost sounded offended at the idea. “And you were still a child! Weren’t you still in school?!”

“Uh…yeah, a teacher took me in,” Sheena explained awkwardly. “I’ve told you about Cardinal.”

“Yes, but parents are supposed to love their children! Care for them, without exception!” Pearl exclaimed. She never did like being wrong and she refused to be wrong in such regards.

Sheena closed her eyes to take a breath before attempting to explain. “Some people do have exceptions, though, Pearl. One of those exceptions, for some people, is religion and what they believe their religion demands.”

Pearl’s confusion began the long explanation of religion and, more specifically, Evangelical Christianity, which led into homosexuality and how Sheena was, on Earth, considered a lesbian. All explained while a bowl of ramen noodles was carefully eaten and jostled around to avoid Pearl’s flailing limbs of indignity when she explained just how wrong Sheena’s parents were.

“So your parents are religious,” Pearl repeated.

“Very religious.”

“And you’re a lesbian.”

“Yes.”

“But that goes against their religion.”

Sheena sighed and ran a hand through her hair, fighting for the correct terminology. “It goes against their interpretation of religion. I have friends that are decently religious who are gay.”

“So you and your parents don’t really talk anymore?”

“Correct.”

“And they kicked you out of the house when you came out to them?”

“…it was more of a mutual agreement that I move in with Cardinal, but, yes.”

All of a sudden, Pearl’s arms were thrown around Sheena. “I am so sorry.”

Sheena laughed a little, “Honey, why on earth are you sorry?”

“This was obviously a rather traumatic part of your childhood,” Pearl said, still hugging Sheena. “And I just made you rehash all of it, because I didn’t understand.”

“Pearl, it’s really fine, but know I would love for you to meet my parents. I just…I don’t really have parents for you to meet, y’know.” Sheena shrugged.

“Well, I would like to meet this Cardinal you talk so much about,” Pearl said as she pulled away.

“Yeah,” Sheena smiled wide. “That’s-That’s an amazing idea! We’ll go visit her soon! I’ll just need to take some time off work…”

And thus, the two began discussing the happier topic of their trip, letting disapproving families fade to dust in their minds.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all liked this fun little story!  
> PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT THEY ARE MY WRITING LIFEBLOOD


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